Warnings: some smut, a tease if you will

Song lyrics for this chapter: I Fall in Love Too Easily by Chet Baker

Later that night, Grace decided to call it quits after taking her sweet ass time to finish her champagne bottle with the band. She didn't feel absurdly drunk, she just felt naturally happy. And enough. But several hours into her high, she was starting to get a little unstable; her emotions were dangerously flying around without limitations as her power figured out how to solidify a new identity for her soul after such an experience. If Grace had learned anything from her previous psychedelic trips, it was that sometimes you just needed to go home and chill for a while to get your mind right at this stage in the night. So you could wake up the next day and piece it all together to move forward after such a monumental shift in thinking. That was her plan going into the rest of the evening, but it was questionable if she could actually stick to it.

The singer quickly realized it would be absurd to try and take everything off alone and asked the horn section ladies to help her get out of her look. They went to her private dressing room, joked around as all three vampires took turns undoing the Mugler masterpiece and unclipping her extensions, did one last cheers together and went their separate ways. Grace was over the moon to feel her natural shape again without restraints and pranced around while looking for the post show comfy outfit she'd packed. But when she saw her choice again - a black sweater and ripped skinny jeans - Grace still felt that was too constricting. She took a quick inventory to build a new outfit out of her stuff and the extras from Pam's styling rack; she decided on an oversized men's button-down, no bra, black lace panties and an insanely expensive pair of cowboy boots.

"Men's shirts, short skirts, woah-oh-oh! Really go wild, yeah, and doin' it in style!" she sang gleefully, running her fingers through her now messy hair. Grace put her new dress back in the garment bag, swung it over her shoulder, grabbed her purse and savored the supernatural floaty feeling in her brain as she wandered out towards the parking lot.

"Vinnie darling, my chariot!"

Her driver zipped over to open the backdoor and Grace playfully danced to the car, trying to get him to smile for once. Vincenzo remained stoic and averted his eyes as he helped her into the Escalade, quickly understanding that she was practically naked and had no inhibitions. The artist requested that he blast music from her iPod the entire way home so she could sing along; they finally pulled into the driveway near the end of 'Just a Girl' by No Doubt. When the music cut off, Grace pouted and Vincenzo's head whipped around as he picked up on something. He said nothing and dashed into the house. She, in turn, had the strong urge to run through the woods like a wild woman; she felt a lake somewhere out there distinctively calling her name. But Vincenzo returned before she could act on her desire, giving her his hand after opening the car door.

"The Sheriff would like to speak with you."

"Would he now?" Grace purred as she slid out of the car and threw the garment bag over her shoulder again. What a pleasant surprise given the way he'd been keeping his distance, she didn't expect to see him so soon. Her undomesticated power crackled underneath her skin. Her heart raced in anticipation of picking up where they left off earlier. But when Vincenzo opened the front door and Grace strutted into her (but really, his) living room, she found Eric's mood dark. His brutal persona was in control, which was not a good combination with her current scattered headspace.

He quickly flicked Vincenzo away. His lieutenant nodded, closed the door behind him and left them alone. She felt Eric's anger immediately but instead of running in fear, the singer stood her ground confidently. Grace hadn't quite let go of her playfulness yet and she wasn't in the mood to fight him. She wanted to dig her nails into his back as she tore off his suit.

"What do you think you're doing?" Eric growled.

"Coming down from a show, what does it look like?" Grace sassed, putting a hand on her hip.

"That's not what I asked." His anger dipped momentarily as his eyes raked over her outfit, specifically drinking in her entire rose tattoo since most of her shirt buttons had somehow come undone when she was singing in the car. She grinned. She liked him admiring her purest form.

"What are you asking?" Grace said, raising a brow as an invitation. He scowled and quickly put his walls back up.

"Enough," he rumbled. "You will not be going shopping with Jessica. When she asks to set a date, cancel."

Grace's good humor evaporated as her energy quickly swung the opposite way. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned him up and down. Oh, so he really wanted to fight, did he? Fine. She was ready for that. It wasn't the first time Grace had challenged him - she'd negotiated their contract and demanded a subsequent amendment for the car after all - but there was always a twinge of terror during her previous sparring matches. It reminded her of the gamble she was taking. This time, she felt no fear. The meek, good girl from the police raid was nowhere in sight after her performance that night.

"I can do as I please," she said through her teeth.

"No," Eric challenged with a sinister glare. "You can't."

"Oh yeah? Where does the contract say I have to avoid certain vampires?"

"You will avoid the King and his fucking progeny because I said so." His muscles tensed and he took a menacing step towards her. Back at Fangtasia, she'd felt his protectiveness but now she picked up that he was just plain furious.

"Another one of your unwritten rules! How many more will I find?" Grace said, not caring what he felt. Her power thrummed throughout her body and she felt the need to defend her freedom, even if he was definitely stronger than her. Because ever since she'd fled her father's rules at eighteen and lived on her own, she'd been independent and liked it. She wasn't about to let Eric control everything she could do.

"If you take my money, you'll do what I say," he demanded. Grace felt as if she'd been slapped in the face.

"That's not how our agreement works," she declared, balling up one of her fists.

"It is now," Eric countered with an unsettling smirk.

"Wow. Really? You're going to stoop that low?"

"You have no idea how low my morals go. This is fucking child's play."

She breezed past Louis' warnings and her decency finally gave way. Grace's lip curled and she threw the garment bag down on the ground in the middle of the foyer. Eric seethed as he watched her put her hands on her hips and puff up her chest.

"I owed Pam a favor, alright? She let me keep the dress from tonight. So fucking take it. Does that make you happy? Since you technically paid for it?" she mouthed off. "What do you think Jessica will do to me, huh? I work with vampires all the time, you think I can't handle her? She's a baby and I'm a force to be reck-"

With supernatural speed, he suddenly dropped his fangs and had her pinned against the front door, her arms by her sides. Grace's skull hit the hard surface behind her and she gasped; she felt pain from the blow but was also keenly aware of how close she was to him. His cold, stiff body was absolutely digging into hers and while she was 5'8" plus a little more in her boots, he still towered over her. His smoldering eyes bore into hers.

"I have my reasons. You will obey them."

"I'm not your prisoner," she spat, struggling against him. Despite being disadvantaged, Grace wasn't ready to give up yet. She was too stubborn to back down now.

"You'll become one if the King finds out about you," Eric blazed, pinning her back down. "One suspicious word from Jessica and he'll come after you. He likes to collect pretty things and keep them under his thumb by any means necessary."

"You sound just like him," Grace snarled. But she went too far. The comparison finally pushed him over the edge and he snapped.

"I AM NOTHING LIKE BILL COMPTON!" Eric roared. His fingers gripped her arms and laid the groundwork for later bruises; he gnashed his teeth and panted directly in her face. "Observe your next words carefully. I can fucking kill you, no matter what powers you have."

Grace felt more insults on the tip of her tongue but his threat reminded her that she was severely outmatched and she had no intention to die that night. The artist had a line in the sand and they'd both done things to pass it a while ago, she needed to back down. But even though she held her words, Grace still thrashed against him, frustrated at her predicament and the fact that she'd finally lost. The singer still wanted her freedom somehow. Eric growled as he thrust his body against her to stop her from moving, which ultimately put an end to things. Her resolve started to weaken as she heaved to catch her breath. Eric dominated a little longer before his own anger started to subside.

Then they both realized how much of their bodies were touching; her skin was boiling against his icy exterior. The energy they felt at Fangtasia returned and his darkness and arousal flooded her senses. It made her feel dizzy in the best way possible. Eric made a sluggish attempt to pin her down again before she could think to move and his head found its way to the crook of her neck. He ran the tip of his fangs across her throat but didn't bite. His heavy exhales brushed her sensitive spots and a shiver ran down her spine. Another one followed as his lips made their way to her ear.

"I won't let him take you," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "Because you're …"

Mine. He didn't need to say it, Grace felt it in her body. She wasn't exactly sure how since they weren't blood bonded - in fact, she really didn't understand why she'd been so in sync with only him all night - but she perceived his tenderness and protectiveness as if they were her own emotions. And beneath it all, there was a sense of love and devotion that she had been feeling herself for quite some time. Grace thought she might explode from finally receiving the signal she'd been waiting for, even if he didn't vocalize it. For too long, she felt like she was in love with an invisible man who was just out of reach. A man who continued to be out of reach at this moment, Grace realized. Eric's lips brushed against her cheek and it was torture that he still had her pinned. She couldn't do anything to speed up what she really wanted. He paused for a moment longer and let out one last shaky breath before attempting to pull away entirely, but Grace finally got the chance to capture his lips with her own to stop him.

Eric roared to life the moment she kissed him; he hungrily devoured her as his walls finally crumbled. She reveled in his reciprocation and kept up with his intensity. She couldn't help but moan in between breaths. His grip softened and Grace's arms flew around him, her fingers running through his blonde hair. His hands quickly forced her button-down fully open and gripped the black lace around her hips as he thrust a thigh between her legs to put pressure on her clit. She gasped in surprise and he took the opportunity to imitate what he would do at her intersection by fucking her mouth with his tongue like a goddamn expert. The pleasure she felt from it was otherworldly; she'd never been kissed like this in her entire life. Eric Northman certainly knew how to give it after having so many centuries of practice.

Grace's chest and neck flushed - her heart was beating on fucking overdrive and she was already approaching her breaking point, much to her surprise - when his hands wandered up her stomach. Every other time she'd been with a man, she hated it when he'd touch her there. Her belly fat was her most self-conscious place but tonight, she was completely intoxicated by Eric's caress. She ground her hips against his thigh and felt a wave of ecstasy wash over her when his fingers traced the dip of her waist. His hands moved upwards still, causing goosebumps to erupt across her skin, and he roughly massaged her breasts as he continued his crushing, passionate kiss. Grace cried out from the mix of pleasure and pain when he twisted her pink nipples between his fingers. The pressure was building and she felt her power directing her movements as she whined and rocked back and forth against his leg again while his hands and lips were busy.

She suddenly felt selfish and greedy and her arousal pushed for something more to get her release now that it was finally in sight. Something that Alcide or any other human couldn't give her. Grace yanked Eric's hair, surged forward into his mouth and swirled her tongue around one of his fangs to encourage him to go further and bite her. She'd been dreaming of him doing it since that night at Dillon's Saloon and his earlier tease had brought her desire back to the surface. Fuck whatever his needs were, she wanted this more. Right now. Eric shuddered and then let out a deep growl of satisfaction. He didn't need to be asked twice. In a flash, the vampire's mouth moved to her jugular vein and Grace let out an undignified groan when his teeth finally pierced her skin.

The artist jerked and climaxed immediately, harder than anything she'd ever experienced; a result of how much she enjoyed Eric's skill and the electric boost of her high. Grace melted into the door behind her, sputtering curse words and his name as she grabbed onto him for dear life to ride out the aftershocks of her release. Her emotions bounced all over the place - euphoria, overstimulation, relaxation, withdrawal - and her body eventually gave way as her heartbeat started to slow.

Eric continued to hungrily gorge on her blood but steadied her before she slid down the wall. He allowed himself a few more moments at her neck and then swiftly placed Grace onto the couch in the living room for her to catch her breath. He paused, unsure of what to do next; she felt his hesitation alongside his fulfillment. A big part of Grace desperately pushed to continue and experience the rest of his talents, but exhaustion finally won. She slumped into his arms and her eyes started to flutter closed. It had been a long night that restructured her soul, after all.

"I … need," she muttered. "Bed."

Eric said nothing but was spurred into action. She drifted in and out of sleep as he picked her up, zipped to the bedroom, carefully dressed her in a baggy sleep shirt, healed her bite marks without making her injest his blood and placed her under the covers. Grace sighed indulgently as her head hit the pillow, not caring that she would fall asleep with a full face of makeup still on. The only thing that would make this better would be to have Eric join her but he stayed put, still sitting on the other side of the bed to avoid further intimacy. She rolled over to face him and deliriously tapped his arm.

"Thank you," Grace cooed, giggling slightly before sinking into the soft bedding. Her eyes closed but she still briefly felt his awe and wonder and heard his soft, incredulous question.

"What are you?"

She yawned - feeling no shame in telling him the truth - before her tiredness finally took her and she passed out.

"I don't … know."

Fangtasia gave the band a vacation day to recover from the night's festivities, but Grace cashed in an additional one to sort out what exactly had happened.

She didn't leave the den the first day, choosing to chain smoke joints and marathon HBO's Rome before profoundly thinking about how she felt different. But eventually, Grace got off the couch and stepped outside to breathe the fresh air the next day after showering and eating. The singer had been turning into a night owl - that tended to happen when you worked in the music industry with vampires - and the sunlight felt glorious. She closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths and listened to the wind rustle through the trees to unpack what she was experiencing.

Grace started with the new physical sensations since that was the easiest. Her body felt lighter … and delicious. She was connected to the earth below her feet, her skin was more sensitive to the elements and her electric power had fused itself to her muscle and bone structure. It wasn't scary to feel it anymore, it was natural. Eating food was more enjoyable and Grace didn't feel so reliant on caffeine to make it through the day. And most importantly, it took much less effort to sing. The range and control she'd experienced while belting out a few jazz standards in the shower earlier was incredible and astonishing.

Her mind took a little longer to unpack. She felt more confident, that was for sure. Grace hadn't run through the normal thought loop of doubts and insecurities since the performance. She knew she was enough. As she opened her eyes and watched a few birds chase each other in the sky, she also found a sense of play and silliness that bubbled to the top. Grace was cheeky as a kid before her father's rules had kicked in and now the attitude returned. And with her new power, it came along with a mischeviousness and desire to be a bit of a naughty troublemaker. Gigi didn't seem like such an alter ego anymore.

As for her other emotions … well there was no denying anymore that she was in love. It was not a schoolgirl crush on Eric, it felt like the real thing after perceiving his emotions. She was tied to him somehow, which felt like one of the most natural things in the world especially since she believed he'd claimed her. And Grace desperately wanted to go all the way after getting such a tease of his skills in bed; the most fantastic orgasm ever had boosted her sex drive and physical attraction towards him. But she wasn't sure where they left things with the contract or Jessica for that matter. And that unnerved her. Grace felt anxious and full of anticipation to see him again.

She got a clue about their predicament when Vincenzo texted her a few hours later once it was dark. He told her to clear her schedule on Saturday night because Fangtasia was giving her an additional vacation day; she would pick Jessica up at Eric's nest to take her shopping. Her judgment was clouded by love and Grace looked at the situation with rose-colored glasses and didn't question the circumstances. She rejoiced. She'd won. Pam's favor would be paid back and she could snoop on Bill. With her new identity, it was time for Grace to learn who he was and what he could mandate. The mysterious female supe was now a player in his game whether he knew it or not. Yet, most importantly, Eric respected her true nature and wish for more freedom. He was even helping her plan things! Of course he loved her, just as she loved him.

But her naivety was a mistake she'd later pay for.

The night of her girl date, Grace stood in the middle of her large walk-in closet and pondered how she wanted to express herself. She eventually settled on a black tee, velvet purple bellbottoms, platform boots and vintage silver stacking necklaces. The artist slung her cross-body purse over her torso and decided to take the Porsche, figuring it would help keep up appearances in front of the King's progeny. She plugged Eric's address into her iPhone - a little shocked that he lived so close to her on the outskirts of town - and pulled out of the driveway, revving the engine. She arrived at the nest and slowed in front of the big security gate when she saw Vincenzo standing outside, his hands crossed behind his back.

"Hey there," she greeted playfully. "Going to let me in?"

"Jessica will be out momentarily. Wait here," he responded. Grace frowned. She was curious to see what it looked like inside but complied.

"Is the boss home?" She hoped to talk to him about their night together and continue it.

"... No."

She expected him to elaborate, but he didn't. Grace idled the Porsche and hummed to herself as she inspected her new acrylics and waited. There was a small fire pooling in her belly as she fantasized about tying Eric to a bed and having her way with him, but it didn't take long for something to zip from behind the gate and break her out of it.

"I remember this car!" Jessica said in awe. She was wearing a cropped yellow Abercrombie blouse and jeans. She looked a lot more innocent than when Grace had first met her. "Eric would never let me drive it. It's one of his favorites."

Grace initially felt jealous, not quite understanding the nature of Jessica's relationship with Eric. But as she watched the young girl admire the Porsche, the feeling faded. Jessica didn't seem his type. She was just a giddy baby and that was something Grace could indulge. And possibly exploit for more information to understand why Eric hated Bill so much.

"It's mine now, maybe you can. So get in loser, we're going shopping," Grace smirked, patting the front seat. The vampire got her Mean Girls reference, squealed and zoomed into the space beside her. The singer twirled her fingers at Vincenzo with an impish grin and sped off towards Shreveport's biggest shopping mall at Jessica's request.

"So is your name really Gigi?" the King's progeny asked after she stopped admiring the inside of the car.

"No, it's Grace," she chuckled. "Louis picked it for me, first time I've had a stage name."

"God it's so cool you sing at Fangtasia," Jessica continued on, still having no filter. Grace could see why Pam found it annoying, but she didn't mind it. She had been a young excitable girl herself not that long ago after all. "You must have the best time."

"It has its ups and downs."

"Fangtasia is just amazing," Jessica sighed.

"Why don't we see you more often then?"

"Oh well, I don't have the time. I've got a lot of stuff I need to take care of at home. Hoyt works a lot, so I take up the cooking and cleaning before my shifts."

"You cook human food? I thought vampires couldn't stand it," Grace laughed.

"I'm a good girlfriend," Jessica growled, immediately getting defensive. "And I work around human food all the time. I can control myself you know."

"Of course, of course," she backtracked. Grace didn't want to piss her off and have her complain to the King. "Wasn't my intention to suggest otherwise. I'm impressed, actually."

Jessica smiled smugly but for the rest of the trip, she looked out the window with a mournful expression. Grace didn't push her but noticed her light up as soon as they turned into the massive mall parking lot; Jessica started bobbing in her seat and happily bit her lip.

"We're here!" she cried when they pulled into a parking spot. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to come here. This place was all Tammy Johnson talked about but my Daddy would never let me join. And Pam said it was beneath her."

Grace tried not to laugh. It reminded her of when she was in high school and hanging out at the mall on Saturday night was all she did with her friends. Didn't matter if they bought anything, the girls just wandered around as a pack of gaggling teenagers without adult supervision, which to Grace was a godsend. The mall was the place to be and clearly Jessica still subscribed to that belief.

"Ok, I'm going to say this now. If you get too excited and start zipping around, I won't be able to keep up."

"I won't leave you behind, I promise!"

With that, the two females left the car and Jessica had a little bounce in her step as they walked through the revolving doors. Grace playfully rolled her eyes and guided the baby vampire to the directory to discuss where they should go. Jessica went back and forth but ultimately decided on Forever 21 and Sephora. Grace tried to engage her in conversation while they walked to dig for information slyly but Jessica was too happy and distracted to divulge anything. Yet her mood sharply changed just before they reached their first destination. She froze in the middle of the crowd; her lip quivered.

"You alright?" Grace asked, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder.

"That's … her," Jessica whimpered. "Tammy." The singer followed her line of sight to a group of girls sitting at the food court not far away. They were laughing and playing with their flip phones, one of them must have been the girl Jessica had mentioned earlier.

"Do you want to say hi?" Grace tested. Jessica began to snivel quietly and blood tears started pooling in her eyes.

"I can't … I'm going to the car."

"Wait!" the singer called out, but she was too late. Jessica darted away and Grace sighed before following her to the parking lot. She unlocked the black sports car when she was in range and Jessica flashed into the front seat for some privacy. The vampire's face was dripping in blood by the time Grace got in the driver's side.

"Hey, hey it's ok. We don't have to go back in there."

"I'm sorry," Jessica began as she tried to wipe her tears away. It ended up making her face messier. "She - she doesn't know I'm a vampire and she hates them." The admission sent her into a bigger emotional tailspin and she openly sobbed. "I don't know if I can - can do this anymore!"

"Do what?" Grace probed softly. The question finally opened the door; Jessica started spilling her inner thoughts and a few secrets.

"Mainstreaming. Bill wants everyone to do it, even Eric. That's why he hired you, right? To lead Bill's mandated human and vampire events?"

Grace blanched but remained silent to keep her cool. Thankfully Jessica didn't notice.

"But he puts so much pressure on me." The vampire changed her voice to a deep Southern drawl. "You're my progeny Jessica, you have to lead by example." She switched back to her usual tone. "Yeah, well he doesn't understand how hard it is when you're so young. The closer I am to humans, the more I slip back into my old life. I think I can be like them. But I'm a vampire now. I can't go to the mall with my friends, I drink blood and deal with stupid politics!"

Jessica huffed and threw her head back against the passenger's seat.

"He's such a … well, a shithead! Did Eric tell you what Bill did just after I was turned?" The singer shook her head. "He dropped me off at Fangtasia for two weeks and didn't bother to teach me how to feed. He was too busy. Eric had to instruct me." Jessica wiped her face again. "All I want to do is be a vampire. Because that's what I am. And I still have so much to learn … Bill was better with training me to fight when we had to mess up those werewolves over the summer - "

Grace's eyes almost popped out of her skull. Werewolves? They were real?

"But then he whips me around now that he's King and tells me to be closer to humans. He wants me to be with Hoyt in front of everyone but the first time he caught us kissin', he threw me off him. Like a hard throw. I don't understand him. He's sending me into a spiral." Jessica took a moment to pause but then fell into deep, painful sobs. "Sometimes I think my Daddy's belt was better than this."

Grace remained silent, still processing everything she had said so far. Bill sounded like a right asshole and someone who could be dangerous with his authority. And holy crap, werewolves … but she also felt for the baby vampire. She just wanted the freedom to be herself and that was something Grace could empathize with. Especially when controlling fathers were in the mix.

"I'm sorry," Jessica finally said once she calmed down. "I didn't mean to unload on you. I just have no one to talk to about any of this. Not since Sookie left." She paused and let out a whimper of grief. "Do you know about her?"

Grace shook her head again, preparing for another bombshell with how this conversation was going. Jessica was not holding back.

"She was Bill's girlfriend … and kind of my new Mom? I liked her a lot. But he did some nasty things to her and they broke up. I think Eric had a thing for her too, she saved him from Russell Edgington." An ominous shiver ran down Grace's spine when Jessica paused. "I probably shouldn't be saying this, but Sookie … had powers. She could read people's minds and sometimes shoot light out of her hands, it was weird. I can't explain it … And then all of a sudden in July, she disappeared. The whole town thinks it was because of Bill but I don't want to believe that. But with how he almost drained her and sent her to the hospital … am I a bad progeny for questioning my maker?"

Grace gulped. He likes to collect pretty things and keep them under his thumb by any means necessary.

"I'm sorry," Jessica lamented again. "I've ruined our shopping trip. Just take me back to the nest, it's time I go home."

Grace took a deep breath to steady herself; she didn't feel terrified but she was definitely on high alert now that she knew more about the King. Eric had been right to warn her and her thoughts finally considered what the real reason was for letting her come tonight. Something wasn't right. Yet she pushed that all to the side when Jessica started crying all over again. The artist decided the girl didn't deserve any more manipulation. She was just a teen and Grace's heart ached for her. She clearly needed some companionship and the singer felt like she could fill that gap even if it was just for that night. It was time to treat her like the vampire she was. She owed her that.

"No." Jessica eye's widened in surprise after Grace objected. "Here's what we're going to do. I'll take you to another place that's just for vampires. We're going to shop and then you'll drive the car back to Eric's. Come on, the night is still young, you haven't ruined it. It'll be fun."

Jessica sniffled, let out a small happy giggle and nodded her head to agree. Grace smirked before looking up the address of one of the vampire boutiques Samira had been raving about. Once the directions appeared on her phone, she put on Taylor Swift's newest album for Jessica's benefit and gleefully cut a few people off on their way out of the parking lot. The two females sang along until they got to their destination; Jessica's face exploded with joy when she saw all of the outfits on display once they were inside. She whizzed around the store to collect things to try on and Grace sat outside the dressing room, critiquing all the options and suggesting the best one. Jessica purchased a Little Red Riding Hood costume and goaded Grace into buying strappy black lingerie for herself. She was thrilled when the singer handed her the keys to the Porsche and encouraged her to race through the streets to get home.

"Let us in," Jessica confidently called out to Vincenzo when they got to the security gate. "I want to show Pam our spoils!" Grace tried to hide her eye roll - Pam would definitely not care about their purchases - but it was still cute that Jessica thought so.

"Pamela is at Fangtasia."

"Fine, Eric will do. Is he here?"

"... Yes."

"Then let us in!"

Vincenzo opened the gate and Grace's heart quickened in anticipation of finally seeing the nest and Eric himself. They definitely needed to talk now. The baby vampire floored it down the long driveway, causing the tires to screech when she breaked outside the front door. Jessica jumped out of the Porsche, grabbed their bags and burst inside, not waiting for Grace. The artist wasn't too far behind her but paused when she entered the nest to take it all in. It was a one-story ranch house like her place but done in a completely different style on the inside. Everything was Scandinavian design, minimalist, full of clean lines and decorated with a combination of black, white and gray skewing towards the darker tones.

But Grace didn't get to admire the sprawling floor plan for too long; Eric quickly emerged from one of the hallways after Jessica started running around and shouting his name. Grace still felt a connection to him, but it was severely dimmed from their last encounter. All she perceived was that his guard was up, she assumed because of Jessica. But fuck, he looked good in his black tank and jeans. Her desire rose.

"Eric!" Jessica squealed after she scampered in from another room. She was sipping a blood bag she'd found somewhere. "We had the best time. Look what I got!" Grace watched Eric display a pleasant (but still forced) smile after she pulled out her new outfit.

"It suits you, Red."

"Grace picked it," Jessica giggled. "Here's what I made her get." The girl reached into one of the bags before Grace could say anything and dangled the lingerie in front of Eric. The singer expected to see some sort of reaction from him - after all, she'd been wearing similar lace the last time they'd seen each other - but there wasn't a trace of emotion coming from him.

"I think it's time for you to head home," Eric purred, his charm suddenly appearing. He clearly wanted her to leave, but Jessica didn't pick up on his intentions. She basked in his attention. "Wouldn't want your human to worry."

"Ugh, fine. I guess you're right," Jessica pouted. "Can I take a bag for the road? Maybe two?"

"Anything for the King's progeny."

Jessica smirked and zipped away to grab more blood, leaving Grace and Eric alone. But she didn't get a chance to say anything because the scene turned chaotic again; Jessica zoomed back into the room, pleaded to go shopping together soon, gave Grace a hug, said goodbye to Eric with a snicker and finally left the nest. Silence fell over the pair when they were alone once more.

Grace didn't know where even to begin. She had so many jumbled questions about Bill, Sookie, Russell Edgington, werewolves and the fact that Eric was definitely not following the King's instructions for mandated events. She wasn't entirely human anymore, they both knew that. At the very least though, the artist thought he might let his defenses down while she thought of what to say but he still seemed extremely distant and Grace fell into a shallow, rapid breathing pattern. Something was not right between them, he wasn't supposed to be this closed off. Not when they'd been so intimate before. It became her chief concern - fuck all those other things, they could wait or honestly didn't matter in the grand scheme of things - and her worry increased when Eric ignored her and walked into another part of the nest.

"Hey!" she called as she followed behind him. "Wait, we need to talk!"

"You shouldn't have come inside," he dodged, stepping into the next room. She stood in front of the doorway; he had nowhere to go, it was the only way in or out. He'd have to acknowledge her now.

"I want to know what's going on," Grace said desperately. She'd get down on her knees and beg if she had to. She didn't want to lose him. "Please, just talk to me. Why did you let me go tonight? Why did you arrange the whole meeting when you expressly forbid it? And why are you pushing me away now?"

Eric stood tall and squared his shoulders as a haughty look crossed his face. His energy was cold and dominant. Her heart raced, she didn't like where this was going.

"You asked for independence, I gave it to you. You are free to make your own decisions, even regarding the King. Our contract terms will not change. There's nothing more to say."

"But I don't understand." Grace felt her eyes begin to water. A pain grew in her chest. "You said you'd never let him take me. You … claimed me."

For a brief moment, she saw the extreme anguish on Eric's face, but it quickly died. She felt a burst of numbness and detachment before their connection slowly dwindled and sputtered just about closed. But not entirely.

"I never did anything of the sort."

Grace felt like she couldn't breathe. No, please dear God, no. This was not happening to her again. Not with Eric.

"You - you did, I felt it."

She needed to keep fighting. Grace wasn't about to accept that he was yet another selfish fucking man in her life that would hang her feelings out to dry after having his way with her. He loved her, she knew he did.

"Did I ever say the words?"

"No, but - "

"Then it wasn't a claim. You were mistaken." But his cruelty went further. "Let me be clear, Miss Williams. This is a transactional relationship. You make me money, that is the extent of your meaning to me."

Grace felt like she'd been hit by a train; she couldn't help but let out a shocked gasp. She felt her tears threaten to fall, but she wouldn't give Eric the satisfaction of seeing her wither in front of him. She'd learned that lesson a long time ago after some fuckhead had taunted her with fat jokes when she realized he didn't feel the same. She needed to get out of the nest immediately.

"I'm sorry to have wasted your time, Sheriff," Grace blurted out before turning on her heel, racing out the front door and driving like a maniac to return to her house as soon as possible.

Once home, Grace's body was on autopilot as she stagged into the makeshift recording studio and collapsed in front of the piano; she needed music to get her through this, she didn't know any other way to cope with such agony. But first, her fingers slammed against the keys - producing random clashing notes that echoed throughout the room - and the singer hung her head and openly sobbed to let her heartbreak out. It wasn't the first time she'd dealt with rejection but it definitely was the most painful. Grace knew it was dramatic to think so, but she felt like she might die. She'd been drawn to Eric since she'd first laid eyes on him and prepared for rejection … but this time, she got her hopes up after feeling his connection. A stupid, stupid thing to do. He was right, he'd never said it out loud; now she knew that Eric Northman placed a lot of value in his words.

She picked herself up after wailing for a few more minutes and let her fingers fluidly run over the keys to help soothe her. She wasn't surprised when an old Chet Baker song came to mind and her voice suddenly filled the room with its somber lyrics.

I fall in love too easily

I fall in love too fast

I fall in love too terribly hard

For love to ever last

Her breath hitched; she held back another sob. Her right hand added a little flourish to encourage her to continue to the next verse. It was therapeutic.

My heart should be well-schooled

'Cause I've been fooled in the past

But still I fall in love so easily

I fall in love too fast

The last chord hung in the air and Grace expected herself to go down her typical spiral of doubt and despair, attacking her confidence and self worth after being rejected romantically. But not this time, not after she'd evolved her supernatural abilities. At that moment, she was still confident but her emotions hardened to the extreme. She was a fucking badass bitch that could control people to do whatever she wanted and no one could take that away from her. She'd passed the point of no return. There was no backing out, her powers would always be a part of her now.

And so, her mind wandered in a new direction as her left hand started pounding out some deep, ominous chords. Maybe the reason she'd been let down all these years was because she wasn't meant to be loved. She was a creature, not a woman and no one - not even Eric, a vampire and murderer - could handle or accept her no matter how much she wanted to force the situation to work in her favor. That should tell her something. So maybe it was time to go on the offensive and devour men whole instead of waiting and pining. A wicked smile burst across her face at the thought. She'd take Eric's money alright as a way to support her new goal in life.

But first things first. It was time to call her dealer for something special, something she'd never let herself touch because it left too many dead bodies in its wake. Then she'd take a baseball bat to the Porsche. Grace whipped out her phone and dialed his number.

"Grace, sweetheart. What do I owe the pleasure? You just re-upped last week."

"Hey Ricky … I need you to overnight me something stronger."

Author's note: ok ok, I know I hinted there would be more Grace/Eric time in this chapter but I never said it would be good! It's going to get worse before it gets better, but it WILL get better I promise. Grace is learning a lesson I had to swallow myself and recording a cover of this Chet Baker song helped me get through it so I had to use the lyrics. Eric's also got some demons to sort through before things can truly work out, all in due time. You'll get his POV next chapter to explain some details, it was too much to force it all into this chapter. But now I feel like I'm finally at the spot where some fics start - confident but guarded evil lady supe that Eric doesn't want to admit he loves but can't stay away from. We're here now!

Hmmm, other behind the scenes tidbits … Shameless plug again for my inspiration playlist! Let me know if you want a link. Here are some other songs (outside of past and future chapter lyrics of course) that I associate with Grace/Eric.

- Deep Blue by The Midnight (Eric)

- What Kind Of Woman Is This? by Buddy Guy (Eric)

- Life & Death by Rezz and Deathpact (both)

- Habits by Postmodern Jukebox feat Haley Reinhart (Grace, especially at the end of this chapter)

- Tenessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton. T-Pain's cover of this is also *chef's kiss* (Grace)

Omg I could list so many more (like Grace is entering her Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat era) but I need to stop somewhere haha. I'd love to hear if you have any theme songs for this fic, music is one of my love languages if you couldn't tell!

Please review, I would love to hear from you!